The Diplomat
The Council of Ministers yesterday authorized the contract for the remodeling and expansion works of building B of the Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones de Madrid, destined to become the new headquarters of the World Tourism Organization, with an estimated value of 24.6 million euros.
The project, as reported by the Government, consists of a complete interior reconfiguration of the building to adapt it to the new uses, with interior demolition of partitions and installations. In addition, an additional third floor will be built with new structural elements to support the existing ones. In addition, a contemporary architectural language will be sought “that clearly but discreetly differs from the mural designed by Joan Miró”. The roof will have skylights to facilitate natural lighting.
The World Tourism Organization established its headquarters in Madrid in 1975, in a building on Calle Poeta Joan Maragall (formerly Capitán Haya) that has become too small for the organization’s needs. For this reason, on March 25, 2022, the Spanish Government and the UNWTO signed an international administrative agreement whereby Spain cedes building B of the Palacio de Congresos to the UNWTO for a period of 75 years, and assumes the rehabilitation of the building.
The Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones de Madrid was inaugurated in 1970. The Palace consists of three buildings or volumes (A, B and C) and is attached to the Spanish Tourism Institute (TURESPAÑA). In 1995 there was a serious fire that caused the collapse of the auditorium B and the adjoining rooms located on the north facade. After the incident, the essential works were undertaken to allow the rest of the building to function without proceeding to the reconstruction of the affected spaces, an area that currently remains open and unused.
The rest of the building continued in use until 2012, when it was decided to temporarily suspend activities, a decision motivated by a series of technical reports that determined that the safety requirements of current regulations were not met. The suspension ceased to be temporary and became indefinite, until all safety regulations were not met.
In 2018, the then President of the Government, Mariano Rajoy, pledged to accelerate as much as possible the provision of the Palacio de Congresos to the UNWTO and, in January 2019, the Government of Pedro Sánchez resumed the willingness to provide the Palace to the UNWTO, with the support of the Community of Madrid and the City Council of the capital support the transfer, which the Executive now wants to accelerate. However, the project was delayed by various circumstances, including changes of government or the pandemic, in addition to some bureaucratic hurdles.
In February 2020, the Official State Gazette published the feasibility study for the rehabilitation of the building. The feasibility studies carried out since then advised that part of the palace (buildings A and C) be tendered through a public works concession to be dedicated to the characteristic use as a Congress and Exhibition Center, while another part, building B, could be ceded to the World Tourism Organization to house the latter’s new headquarters.
In September 2021, the then Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, announced before the Secretary General of the UNWTO, Zurab Pololikashvili; the Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida; and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, that the new headquarters could be available in 2024.
The building, located opposite the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, will have a total floor area of almost 8,000 square meters, will consist of a basement for facilities and parking for more than 30 cars, a mezzanine with a cafeteria and a multipurpose exhibition hall and three floors for offices and meeting rooms, including an auditorium of more than 500 square meters with translation booths.
